The most vegetarian in the world in 2025?

Vegetarianism is not a single-day trend — it’s a mosaic of culture, religion, economics and personal choice. In 2025, some countries still have strong traditions of plant-based eating, while others are seeing rapid growth in people reducing meat for health, environment, or ethical reasons. Below I’ll explain the global picture, list the countries with the highest shares of vegetarians (with percentages), and give practical SEO-friendly context you can use for articles, blog posts or landing pages. 

• India leads by a large margin: nearly 30% of the population follows a vegetarian diet.

• Several Latin American countries (Mexico, Brazil) and some East Asian / Middle Eastern countries rank high on vegetarian share lists for 2025.

• Trends driving growth: religious and cultural habits, rising health/environmental awareness, and campaigns like Veganuary.

What “vegetarian” means (and why definitions matter)

“Vegetarian” can mean different things in different surveys: some definitions count only people who never eat meat; others include frequent but not absolute plant-based eaters, and some surveys separate pescetarians, flexitarians and vegans. When comparing countries, look carefully at the survey definition and year — that’s why numbers vary between sources. The estimates below are best treated as approximations that reflect relative popularity rather than precise headcounts.

Top countries by share of vegetarians — 2025 list (with percentages)

The percentages below are taken from recent country-by-country summaries and published 2024–2025 surveys and compilations. They are rounded and intended for SEO lists and comparative content.

1. India — 29.5%
   Deep cultural and religious traditions (Hinduism, Jainism) and longstanding vegetarian culinary practices keep India at the top of global lists. Urbanization and plant-based product availability are accelerating this share in cities.

2. Mexico — 19%
   Mexico has a growing vegetarian and flexitarian population driven by health trends, culinary reinvention, and interest in traditional legume-based dishes.

3. Brazil — 14%
   Brazil’s vegetarian numbers have risen as environmental and health awareness spreads, and plant-based startups scale rapidly across major cities.

4. Taiwan — 13.5%
   Strong vegetarian traditions linked to Buddhism and a robust vegetarian food industry push Taiwan’s percentage into double digits.

5. Israel — (high single digits to low teens)
   Israel’s health and animal-rights movements plus a vibrant vegan/vegetarian startup scene place it among the more plant-forward nations. (Exact estimates vary by source.)

6. Japan — ~9%
   A mix of traditional plant-based dishes and modern diet shifts contribute to Japan’s near-double-digit vegetarian share in recent surveys.

7. United Kingdom — ~7–10%
   The UK shows a sizeable vegetarian and vegan community influenced by campaigns like Veganuary and high public interest in animal welfare and sustainability.

8. Canada — ~7–8%
   Canada’s vegetarian share has grown steadily with urban plant-based offerings and mainstream grocery availability.

9. United States — ~4–5% (vegetarian)
   While interest in plant-based foods is high, strict vegetarianism remains a smaller share compared with flexitarian behavior and plant-based product trial. Many more Americans are “reducetarians.”

10. Other countries with notable shares: Philippines (~5%), Germany (~6–10% depending on source), China (~4–5% in some estimates), and several European nations reporting mid-single-digit vegetarian shares.

Why India stands out

India’s top ranking isn’t surprising: vegetarianism there is woven into religious practice (especially among Jains and many Hindus), festival foodways, and centuries of plant-based recipes. Even as urban Indians eat more meat in some demographics, a large base of committed vegetarians keeps India’s percentage far above most countries. Recent surveys used in 2024–2025 snapshots place India close to 30% vegetarian.

Regional patterns and cultural drivers

• South Asia: Historically higher vegetarian rates due to religion and cuisine (India, Nepal, parts of Sri Lanka).

• East Asia: Buddhist influence and tofu/vegetable-centric dishes support vegetarian pockets (Taiwan, Japan), but meat consumption is also high in many areas.

• Latin America: Surprising growth in vegetarian share (Mexico, Brazil) driven by health narratives and expanded plant-based options.

• Western Europe & North America: Strong vegan/vegetarian movements in cities; however, national averages often reflect fewer strict vegetarians and many flexitarians. Campaigns like Veganuary and environmental messaging influence behavior.

Data quality and why numbers vary

Different organizations define “vegetarian” differently (strict vs. self-identified vs. occasional). Some surveys ask “Are you vegetarian?” and accept self-identification; others use dietary recall (what you ate yesterday). Media lists and aggregators (e.g., country rankings published in 2024–2025) compile multiple sources, which is why you’ll see slightly different percentages across platforms. For authoritative work, cite the original national survey or a reputable aggregator and note the survey year and definition.

Limitations & what to watch for in future updates

• Surveys appear often and can change year-to-year — especially in countries where dietary patterns are evolving rapidly. If you publish a “2025” guide, mark the survey dates and the sources. World Population Review+1

• Distinguish vegetarians (no meat) from vegans (no animal products) and from flexitarians (reduce but don’t eliminate meat). Many readers conflate these terms.

Further reading

I used recent country-aggregation reports and comparative pages that compile national surveys and media coverage for the 2024–2025 period, including world population compilations and country-by-country vegetarianism summaries. For more granular work, consult national health surveys and market research databases (Statista, national census or health agencies) and always note the survey year and definition.